Rape case against Imenti MP halted
Imenti Central MP Gideon Mwiti’s trial over rape allegations was on Wednesday postponed following an August 10 directive that halted his criminal case from proceeding.
The matter will be mentioned in three months to allow the High Court in Nairobi time to refer the suit to Chief Justice Willy Mutunga who will set up a bench to hear the MP’s challenge against his prosecution.
Mr Mwiti was released on a Sh100,000 cash bail after denying raping a married woman on March 21.
However, he argues that the Sexual offences Act is unconstitutional and that lawyers representing the woman and her husband should not be present in court.
CASE HEARING
He argued that by being in court they were taking over the prosecution’s role.
Mr Mwiti appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Joyce Gandani together with his co-accused David Muchiri Mwangi. Their trial had been set to start on August 19 but the hearing could not proceed.
Mr Gandani set the mention for November 12.
The magistrate heard that the trial would only resume after getting further directives from the High Court.
“The High Court had ordered a stay of the current criminal proceedings until further directives are issued,” the court heard.